I think it is partly the governments fault. The FDA needs to do it's job and regulate our food. They need to get HFCS and all this other additives, many of which are banned in other nations because of how wretched they are. They need to stop allowing GMOs (most other nations at the very least label the garbage) they need to stop allowing pink slime in our ground beef.

Instead they're in the pockets of the Big Beef industry that wants to make the most product they can, as cheaply as they can so they allow pink slime. They're in the pockets of King Corn so they allow HFCS....not only that but King Corn is allowed to put out commercials LYING the public about how your body can't tell a difference between cane sugar and 'corn sugar' (to that end they can label it 'corn sugar' since HFCS got such a bad rep. All these organizations that get a bad rep in the news are still in our food they've just managed to petition to get a new name so no one knows it's HFCS or GMOs or God only knows what.

You can't even go to the store and buy a dang apple without knowing if it's REALLY an apple or if it's some genetically modified science experiment.

And Yes, education does play a HUGE role and we need to educate people. My goodness, just a few months ago there was a crap storm in the media because *gasp* organic carrots aren't healthier than conventional carrots. Well no duh. But this was upsetting to some people! They honestly believed that an organic carrot somehow contained more nutrients or something than a conventional carrot!

And every 15 minutes on TV I see a V8 commercial 'should've had a V8' because it's so much easier to drink this concoction of who knows what than eat a dang serving of broccoli. Showing grown ADULTS being all whiney and childlike about eating vegetables or fruits. I mean, really? What kind of message does that send to children? "Vegetables are gross. Drink this yummy mixture that doesn't even taste like vegetables because we've added so much freaking sugar...er I mean HFCS."

Or commercials for pedialite drinks "My child refuses to eat broccoli so I give her this sugar filled crap drink so ensure she's getting the nutrients she needs." Um, no, make your kid eat freaking broccoli, it's not that hard. My kids LOVE broccoli and I don't even melt some yellow substance posing as cheese product all over it. I steam it, they eat it and love it.

Excusing people for their poor choices because the government should do xyz is still taking personal responsibility out of the equation. No one needs processed junk, and I don't believe anyone truly believes any of it it healthy. And if they do, then they are completely unthinking and education is not going to help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hungry Caterpillar

Yes, and when it's childhood obesity, the onus is on the parents to provide the food. Presumably the children are not choosing and purchasing this food at the grocery store. If the choice isn't there to eat a high-calorie food that the body may be craving, the choice can't be made. There are also other alternatives when the body is craving these things - spoonfuls of peanut butter, avocado, cashews. All are valid, healthy choices with a myriad of redeeming nutritional features and have some fat.

I didn't quote this, but I agree with addicteddad that I have never met anyone overweight who is eating a truly healthy diet. I don't even see how this needs to be restrictive. No one is advocating that kids only eat kale and greek yogurt. It's quite easy to be stringent at home and then go with the flow out of the home. I realize this is going to sound really elitist, but in our home, we have chosen to commit to a lifestyle where we purchase everything organic possible, no junk, and don't stray from it. Then, when we go out, we can be as flexible as we want because we do it around one meal every two weeks. One out of 42 meals we all eat whatever we want, however much we want, and no one feels bad about it. We go out for treats here and there but they are all out of the house. Takes away the temptation. That way when I really crave something, it's easy to rationalize going to get it, because I haven't sauntered to my freezer with every whim.

We snack here all the time. I don't see constant snacking being an issue, because we aren't snacking on goldfish and poptarts. We eat some fruit, lots and lots of cut up veggies and hummus, and peanut butter and apples. That's pretty constant. As much as you want, go for it. But, it's indeed a lifestyle choice.

Your house sounds a lot like our house. It also sounds a lot like my great-grandparents house (and what everyone else's house used to be like). I don't think it is elitist so much as common sense.